Three case studies tell the stories of three operating companies who have already conducted the Biodiversity Risk & Opportunity Assessment.

A nursery in Uganda

The British American Tobacco Biodiversity Partnership (BATBP) first trialed the Biodiversity Best Practice Tool in Uganda in 2007/8. Following a similar trial in Indonesia, this Tool was then further refined and has been adopted by EHS policy as the Biodiversity Risk and Opportunities Assessment (BROA).

The main objective of the trial in Uganda was to assess the threat of BAT’s growing activities to biodiversity and ecosystem services and set out opportunities for corrective actions.

The trial comprised a desk-based survey of the threats, stakeholder consultation, site surveys by external biodiversity experts, review of existing management practices and finally, development and sign-off of a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) to mitigate risks identified by the process. A key outcome of the process was a stakeholder dialogue  workshop (facilitated by the Tropical Biology Association) which brought together key  BATU personnel, local NGO’s and relevant stakeholders working in forestry and/ or natural resource management. This meeting resulted in BATU setting up a strong working relationship with a local NGO, which is now assisting BATU and its’ farmers through monitoring land/ forest use and change in the growing region, and finding solutions to better manage and conserve natural forest resources. It is also helping BATU to meet the target for reducing reliance on natural fuelwood, set out in last year’s Sustainability Report. 

Through the Corrective Action Plan, BATU are now drawing from local expertise to help improve understanding and awareness of freshwater management issues that should help BATU future proof its operations. A set of indicators for monitoring freshwater ecosystem health, in the field, has been developed and tested by BAT Extension Staff in Uganda. These will be further trialled and then rolled out to other regions.

Biodiversity Risk & Opportunity Assessment – Export Leaf Indonesia

	Tobacco growing in Indonesia

In Indonesia the tool was trialed in 2006/07 and the risk analysis identified protected areas adjacent to agricultural zones where the company sources tobacco - the Gunung Rinjani National Park on the slopes of Mt Rinjani in Lombok, the Kawah Ijen National Park near Bondowoso in East Java and the Way Kambas National Park near Lampung in Sumatra.  Although no direct impacts of company activities were identified on this area, tobacco growing was found to be adversely impacted by ongoing forest degradation in some areas.  Furthermore, a move from kerosene to coal fuel for tobacco curing, stimulated by a change in fiscal policy, was identified as a potential risk to the protected areas.  The analysis showed that deforestation in critical watersheds on Lombok reduces water supply to agricultural areas including the tobacco growing area. Export Leaf Indonesia (the BAT subsidiary) working through local partnerships with Fauna & Flora International and the University of Mataram have conducted a scoping study to develop a plan for the protection of the watershed through measures including reforestation and introducing a range of water management techniques to farmers.

Other actions identified through the risk assessment Corrective Action Plan included detailed monitoring of the effects of the switch from kerosene to coal, and a request for educational biodiversity workshops for ELI staff. The monitoring project has just been completed by the University of Mataram and Fauna & Flora International, and two biodiversity workshops where conducted with a range of local experts for ELI staff in the Solo and Lombok offices.

A regional Biodiversity Risk & Opportunity Assessment – Souza Cruz, Brazil 

Woodfuel, eucalyptus plantations and threatened Araucaria Pine forest in Brazil.